Lightweight Continuous Band for the Manufacture of Bags for Fruit and Vegetable Produce and Similar Products

ABSTRACT

A lightweight continuous band for the manufacture of bags for fruit and vegetable produce and similar products, consisting of a continuous plastic sheet of the same width as that of the aforementioned band; said band features at each of the aforementioned sectors one or more windows of like or different sizes; at least one of the windows is closed by means of a fragment of plastic material of a shape and dimensions suited to said at least one window, and whose edges are fixed to the periphery of the same by thermo-welding or similar procedure; said fragment of plastic material features a plurality of stamped holes of like size, which are evenly distributed throughout the surface of said fragment.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is an innovative continuous bandfeaturing windows closed by fragments of plastic material, saidfragments having a plurality of holes evenly distributed throughouttheir surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Continuous bands for the manufacture of bags are well known, these arejoined along their longitudinal edges to form a continuous tube which isdivisible into a plurality of sections corresponding to the respectivebags.

When the product contained in the bags is fruit and vegetable produceand similar products, the bags must provide appropriate ventilation,this being achieved in various ways, quoting by way of an example thatthe material of the bag may be of a reticular nature or that the bandmay feature windows, usually closed by mesh fragments; these solutionsalso enable consumers to see the product packaged.

In the case of reticular bands, one of the drawbacks is theimpossibility to include any type of printed information, and anotherdrawback is the damage which the filaments may inflict on the product.Conversely, the solution which combines windows and mesh fragmentsenables the printing of any type of information and the visualinspection of the product, but for the bag to feature sufficientmechanical strength, the thickness of the filaments of the mesh must beconsiderable, entailing a greater use of plastic products andconsequently an increase in costs.

The present invention advocates a continuous band which, for the closingof the windows, includes fragments of plastic material featuring aplurality of holes evenly distributed throughout their surface, whichsolves the aforementioned drawbacks, enabling the printing on the areaswithout windows, and the visual inspection of the product, andadditionally, the weight of a fragment of plastic material with itscorresponding holes, providing the same mechanical strength as a meshfragment of like dimensions, is approximately 40% less; there is thus asaving in the materials employed, entailing financial savings and lessuse of products which, when they become waste, are difficult toeliminate.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The lightweight continuous band for the manufacture of bags for fruitand vegetable produce and similar products, which is the object of thepresent invention, consists of a continuous sheet of plastic of the samewidth as that of the aforementioned band; said band features at each ofthe aforementioned sectors one or more windows of like or differentsizes; at least one of the windows is closed by means of a fragment ofplastic material of a shape and dimensions suited to said at least onewindow, and whose edges are fixed to the periphery of the same bythermo-welding or similar procedure; said fragment of plastic materialfeatures a plurality of stamped holes of like size, which are evenlydistributed throughout the surface of said fragment.

One solution, apparently similar, might be that the continuous sheetshould have no windows, and to stamp throughout its surface or in areaschosen beforehand a plurality of holes; however, to obtain a bag withthe same mechanical strength as that obtained by the present invention,this would imply that the thickness of the continuous sheet of plasticwould be greater, thus eliminating the saving in material and costs, aswell as increasing the environmental problems generated when discardingthe bags.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1: portrays a perspective view of one sector of the continuousband.

FIG. 2: portrays a perspective view of one sector of the continuousband.

FIG. 3: portrays a perspective view of the fragment of plastic material.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1 to 3 portray a preferred embodiment of the lightweightcontinuous band for the manufacture of bags for fruit and vegetableproduce and similar products which is the object of the presentinvention, and which features a handle (4).

The continuous band (1) is formed by a continuous sheet (2) of plasticof the same width as that of the aforementioned band; said band featuresat each of the aforementioned sectors one or more windows (5) of like ordifferent sizes; at least one of the windows is closed by means of afragment (3) of plastic material of a shape and dimensions suited tosaid at least one window, and whose edges are fixed to the periphery ofthe same by thermo-welding or similar procedure; said fragment ofplastic material features a plurality of stamped holes (6) of like size,which are evenly distributed throughout the surface of said fragment.Said holes may be square in shape, with rounded corners and may bearranged in a staggered manner in order to give the appearance of a net.

Likewise, the band may feature a plurality of perforations of like ordifferent sizes to enhance the ventilation of the product packaged inthe bag manufactured therewith.

The windows may be centred in each of the sectors or disposedsymmetrically with regard to the longitudinal axis of the band; in thesetwo cases the fragment of plastic material may be a strip with a widthsmaller than that of the continuous band.

To increase the mechanical strength of the bag at its weakest points, incorrespondence with each of the sectors of the continuous sheet ofplastic foreseen for the obtaining of a bag, reinforcements of plasticmaterial are disposed at the areas foreseen for the handles, thethermo-welds and at the edges of the windows; said reinforcements areattached to the side of the continuous sheet of plastic materialintended to be the internal part of the bags by means of thermo-weldingor similar procedure.

1. A lightweight continuous band for the manufacture of bags for fruitand vegetable produce and similar products, of the type intended to beclosed over themselves by means of the bonding of their longitudinaledges by thereto-welding or similar procedure to form a continuous tubewhich is divisible into a plurality of sectors corresponding torespective bags, characterised in that it comprises a continuous plasticsheet of the same width as that of the aforementioned band; said bandfeatures at each of the aforementioned sectors one or more windows oflike or different sizes; at least one of the windows is closed by meansof a fragment of plastic material of a shape and dimensions suited tosaid at least one window, and whose edges are fixed to the periphery ofthe same by thermo-welding or similar procedure; said fragment ofplastic material features a plurality of stamped holes of like size,which are evenly distributed throughout the surface of said fragment. 2.A lightweight continuous band for the manufacture of bags for fruit andvegetable produce and similar products, as claimed in claim 1,characterised in that each of the sectors of the continuous sheet ofplastic material features a plurality of perforations of like ordifferent sizes.
 3. A lightweight continuous band for the manufacture ofbags for fruit and vegetable produce and similar products, as claimed inclaim 1, characterised in that the windows are centred in each of thesectors.
 4. A lightweight continuous band for the manufacture of bagsfor fruit and vegetable produce and similar products, as claimed inclaim 1, characterised in that the windows are disposed symmetricallywith regard to the longitudinal axis of the continuous plastic sheet. 5.A lightweight continuous band for the manufacture of bags for fruit andvegetable produce and similar products, as claimed in claim 3,characterised in that the fragment of plastic material is a continuousstrip with a width smaller than that of the continuous plastic band. 6.A lightweight continuous band for the manufacture of bags for fruit andvegetable produce and similar products, as claimed in claim 1,characterised in that in correspondence with each of the sectors of thecontinuous sheet of plastic foreseen for the obtaining of a bag,reinforcements of plastic material are disposed at the areas foreseenfor the handles, the thermo-welds and at the edges of the windows; saidreinforcements are attached to the side of the continuous sheet ofplastic material intended to be the internal part of the bags by meansof thermo-welding or similar procedure.
 7. A lightweight continuous bandfor the manufacture of bags for fruit and vegetable produce and similarproducts, as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the windows arecentred in each of the sectors.
 8. A lightweight continuous band for themanufacture of bags for fruit and vegetable produce and similarproducts, as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the windows aredisposed symmetrically with regard to the longitudinal axis of thecontinuous plastic sheet.
 9. A lightweight continuous band for themanufacture of bags for fruit and vegetable produce and similarproducts, as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that the windows aredisposed symmetrically with regard to the longitudinal axis of thecontinuous plastic sheet.
 10. A lightweight continuous band for themanufacture of bags for fruit and vegetable produce and similarproducts, as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that the fragment ofplastic material is a continuous strip with a width smaller than that ofthe continuous plastic band.
 11. A lightweight continuous band for themanufacture of bags for fruit and vegetable produce and similarproducts, as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that in correspondencewith each of the sectors of the continuous sheet of plastic foreseen forthe obtaining of a bag, reinforcements of plastic material are disposedat the areas foreseen for the handles, the thermo-welds and at the edgesof the windows; said reinforcements are attached to the side of thecontinuous sheet of plastic material intended to be the internal part ofthe bags by means of thermo-welding or similar procedure.
 12. Alightweight continuous band for the manufacture of bags for fruit andvegetable produce and similar products, as claimed in claim 3,characterised in that in correspondence with each of the sectors of thecontinuous sheet of plastic foreseen for the obtaining of a bag,reinforcements of plastic material are disposed at the areas foreseenfor the handles, the thermo-welds and at the edges of the windows; saidreinforcements are attached to the side of the continuous sheet ofplastic material intended to be the internal part of the bags by meansof thermo-welding or similar procedure.
 13. A lightweight continuousband for the manufacture of bags for fruit and vegetable produce andsimilar products, as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that incorrespondence with each of the sectors of the continuous sheet ofplastic foreseen for the obtaining of a bag, reinforcements of plasticmaterial are disposed at the areas foreseen for the handles, thethermo-welds and at the edges of the windows; said reinforcements areattached to the side of the continuous sheet of plastic materialintended to be the internal part of the bags by means of thermo-weldingor similar procedure.
 14. A lightweight continuous band for themanufacture of bags for fruit and vegetable produce and similarproducts, as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that in correspondencewith each of the sectors of the continuous sheet of plastic foreseen forthe obtaining of a bag, reinforcements of plastic material are disposedat the areas foreseen for the handles, the thermo-welds and at the edgesof the windows; said reinforcements are attached to the side of thecontinuous sheet of plastic material intended to be the internal part ofthe bags by means of thermo-welding or similar procedure.